I have never felt more helpless in my entire life for the people I love. 

I text my friends and tell them to stay safe. But we all know that safety is just a wish we blow out of our lungs and hope that the wind carries to our loved ones. My dandelion wishes don't stop men with guns and handcuffs and rage from handling the people I love like disposable parts. 

If I could spread my body out like a cloak and cover them, I would hide them in the folds of myself. I would tuck them into a secret pocket like the precious treasure they are. I would if I could. 

I don't know who could support this. And I know even less about how people call this love or law or order. The people I know try not to call it anything at all, scared that a whisper in the wrong direction will bring an extra serving of wrath. 

Today, I let the fear in. I let it all the way in until it is settled between my lungs and my spine. I do not know what happens next. Only that I have joined so many others in feeling helpless while we blow wishes for safety at people across this country. And we wait for news that disaster has passed them by. And we feel the weight of the selfishness of that hope, that we know it is coming and it will take *someone* but we still desperately hope that it won't be someone we love.